A printed circuit board (PCB) is a support for electrical components. It combines chips, resistors, switches and diodes for assembled electrical components. PCBs and electrical components combined together can create a control unit. This can be used alone or with other control units to make a complex system. Simple pieces of equipment, such as telephones or calculators, only contain a PCB.

PCB as a support for electrical components

Structuring of a metal surface

Suitable for machines in series or prototype production

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A laptop is made out of a mother board, which has a sound card, a graphics card and usually other components such that require many PCBs within one system.

The base material of a PCB is a supporting material that is coated with a metal layer. This can, for example, be the composite material, GFK. In general, the production of a PCB has to do with forming the metal surface layer into the required structure. This means that instead of a continuous conductive layer, a network of conductors with connectivity for electrical components is created. This is usually carried out using a photochemical process. Nowadays, there is also the possibility to get rid of unwanted areas on PCB using lasers.

HAROTEC Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Production process

This procedure is not yet universally implemented, but it spares the complicated exposure process. Contrarily, the exposure process is standard in PCB production. The source plates have a photo resistant coating and are then exposed with a film. The desired structure is built onto the film. The lit up areas react with the photo resistant coating, which creates a protective layer. The unexposed parts are then etched away using acid. This results in a PCB with the desired structure. The circuit board is then ready for mounting, using connectors and soldered electronic components.

The machines used in PCB production can be implemented for series production or mass production. The development is currently so advanced, that there are a large variety of suppliers that provide affordable individual pieces (e.g. circuit board plotter). Etching stations ensure the correct processing of the exposed circuit boards. Alternatively, there are also powerful laser devices that produce the structure of the PCB. PCBs are supplied with electronic components through the use of assembly machines.

The manufacturing and assembly of PCBs is largely an automatic process. A trained worker is only needed to monitor the production process. PCB production is not as demanding as semiconductor production. Even so, there are specific requirements on the level of cleanliness of the workspace used to produce PCB.